The Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 is a rock-solid gym shoe focused on weight lifting rather than more dynamic workouts…

The Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 is a shoe that’s been built with heavy lifting firmly in mind. Offering great stability and a locked-in feel that keeps you firmly gripped to the ground at all times, these shoes allow you to push yourself to your absolute weight-lifting limit. Let’s see how they stack up against the best gym shoes in 2024.

Men’s Fitness verdict

While these are not suitable for cardio workouts or dynamic strength sessions, if your main priority is a strong, stable base for weightlifting, this is definitely the shoe for you.
Pros
  • Specialist weight-lifting shoes
  • Strong, reinforced heel gives plenty of stability
Cons
  • Too bulky for anything but heavy lifting
  • Not suitable for more dynamic workouts

How we tested the best gym shoes

Our team of reviewers are experienced testers of all manner of fitness kit. They put each gym shoe through its paces in a variety of workouts, from cardio to strength training to heavy lifting, assessing them in terms of fit, comfort, and performance. They also paid close attention to the materials used throughout the shoe, the sizes and widths available, and the shoe’s total weight.

reebok legacy lifter III reinforced heel
The Legacy LIfter III’s reinforced heel clip essentially anchors you to the ground by the heels, which is a big plus when you’re lifting.

Design and features

We tried out these shoes in Reebok’s Core Black colour scheme, which is a bold, eye-catching design. A thick velcro strap provides a snug fit and keeps the shoelaces tucked neatly away when you’re exercising.

A hard, reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) heel clip is central to the Legacy Lifter 3’s design. It essentially anchors you to the ground by the heels, which is a big plus when you’re lifting. However, the thick, heavy feel of the shoes means they’re not the most comfortable when you’re walking between machines in the gym (a common sacrifice made with specialist weight-lifting trainers).

Performance on test

The bulkiness of these gym shoes might not be to everyone’s tastes. One thing you definitely don’t want to do is use the Legacy Lifter 3 for a more generalised workout. On test, we found them too heavy for cardio workouts or any other exercises that required us to be light on our feet.

Ultimately, this is a shoe designed for heavy lifting, and this is where it excels. If you’re gearing up for a day of heavy lifting at the gym, you’ll do well to find a better option than the Reebok Legacy Lifter 3. If your main priority is a strong, stable base, this is the shoe for you.

Material:Textile upper, TPU heel clip, rubber outsole, midfoot strap
Weight:575g
Colours:6 colours available
Sizes:7 – 14

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